Choices
by The Werewolf Mage
Summary: “Everyone has choices, Gen.” Gen and Snape have a conversation about the choices they've made and the choices they'll have to make.


Title: Choices

Summary: "Everyone has choices, Gen." Gen and Snape have a conversation about the choices they've made and the choices they'll have to make.

I can't help myself! Gen and Snape fics are so fun! And, this is fic number ninety! Nine more and I can do my 100th fic special. Huzzah!

Snape's eyes quickly got used to the dim light in the rather dreary pub known as the Hog's Head. Shocked, he noticed a rather familiar looking young woman and made his way over to her. "This is the last place I'd expect to see you, Moore." he hissed. "Waiting for someone?"

She raised her glass in greeting and murmured, "Just drinking myself stupid, thank you. I figured no one I knew would come in here. Thanks for proving me wrong."

"You're welcome." he muttered. "Why are you drinking yourself stupid?" He could not help himself. His curiosity had peaked.

Gen just shook her head, her black hair damp from the bartender's earlier spill. Instead, she invited him to join her. He hesitated, then took the seat next to her. "You know, Severus, I've made some damn stupid choices." she said out of nowhere.

Snape said nothing. So had he, but he did not feel like fessing up to her. He realized she was waiting for an answer. "What kind of choices?" he asked.

"Ones I shouldn't have, I suppose. I mean, I really don't know... stupid, rather hurtful ones." She stared broodingly into her glass of Firewhiskey as if hoping it would answer instead of Snape.

"I know that feeling."

She glanced at him, a bit shocked. "Y – you do?"

He nodded, sipping his own Firewhiskey. "Everyone has choices, Gen." he muttered, looking a bit shocked that he had called her that. Usually, he had chose to call her Moore, or Mudblood. Never by her nickname. "See, like that. I chose to call you that, instead of..."

"Mudblood?" she asked, looking kind of thankful.

"Yeah."

She sighed. "What kind of choices have you had?" she asked softly. To her, it seemed, he had never made the wrong choice. "I think I've always gone wrong."

He looked at her out of the corner of his eye and muttered, "What does it matter to you what I have and have not chose to do?"

"I – nothing, I guess. I was just curious." she sighed. "I could ask you the same thing anyway, now, couldn't I? I mean, you've never seemed to care what my little group of social lions and I were up to, unless it was something involving you."

Snape scoffed. "Social lions?"

"Mmm... nevermind." she sighed. "So, do you want to hear my problems, or not?"

Snape pondered for a moment, before asking, "You're going to tell me anyway, aren't you?"

"Damn straight." Gen laughed. "For someone I don't really know as well as other people, you sure know me." She paused, then murmured, "Where to begin?"

"Why not tell me this recent, ah, decision of yours which has put you in this drinking stupor?"

"Right, this one." she sighed. "I had a choice, a rather tough one, actually." She was thinking of the best way to word her problem. "I mean, it was stupid, now that I think of it. I knew it would hurt him." She did not look at Snape as she spoke. "Yet, I was dumb enough to go along with it." She sighed again, and murmured so low he had to strain to hear her. "I hated him, though. All that grief he's put me through."

'Well, there's more too her than meets the eye. A grudge-holder.' Snape thought, a bit sorry she hadn't given him a proper answer. 'And, apparently, not one to give straight answers, either.'

"You know, you're a rather good listener." she smiled, happy to have some company, even if it was Severus Snape. "And you're not as bad as I've heard. Or, as bad as Sirius says you are, anyway."

"Black does have the tendency to stretch the truth a bit."

She laughed again. "Yes, that's his biggest flaw, I think."

Snape was trying to read her expression, but could not in the dim light. She had gotten so quiet, he thought she might have forgotten he was there. Then, he realized, she was either musing, or reminiscing.

"You want to tell me a bit about yourself?" she asked suddenly, startling him. "Like the toughest choice you had to make?" When he refused, she prodded him. "Go on. I'll tell you mine, if you like."

He looked at her, silently debating on whether or not to tell her. "I have had to make several choices in my life, Moore. Most of which you probably wouldn't understand."

"So, that's all you're telling me?" she asked sadly.

"Maybe."

"Fine, then. Have you ever had to choose between what is fair for yourself, or fair to someone else?" When he nodded, she smiled and continued. "Choosing between something you want and something that you would never dream of doing, like, oh, I don't know, murder. What would you do?"

Snape considered her question for a moment. "You're saying, either kill someone you care about, or die in the process? The Slytherin in me says murder." He caught her eye and asked, "Why do you ask?"

"Just wondering." She brushed his question off and finished her drink. "I hate having to choose." she sighed. He couldn't swear to it, but he thought he heard a rather soft sob. "Don't you?"

"Of course I do. But, we have to make them. It's not possible to avoid them."

"Says you."

He watched her storm out of the pub, shaking his head. 'You're just making more wrong choices.' he thought.


End file.
